Planned maintenance

Planned maintenance is a proactive approach to maintenance in which maintenance work is

scheduled to take place on a regular basis. The type of work to be done and the frequency varies
based on the equipment being maintained, and the environment in which it is operating.

The primary objective of planned maintenance is to maximize equipment performance by

keeping equipment running safely for as long as possible, without that equipment deteriorating or
having unplanned outages.

Planned maintenance includes preventive maintenance tasks such as checking oil levels, when
those tasks are preplanned.

The schedule for planned maintenance tasks can be based on equipment running hours, number
of items produced, distance travelled, or other measurable factors.

Major Benefits of Planned Maintenance

The key benefit of planned maintenance is that the work can be scheduled in ways such that it
does not interfere with overall production. This may mean scheduling planned maintenance
during times of the year when there is less demand, or doing maintenance at night when most of
the facility is not operating.

Other direct benefits of planned maintenance include:

 Reduces unplanned equipment downtime and improves overall equipment performance.

 Repair costs are reduced because problems are fixed while they are minor.
 More efficient use of manpower and other resources because maintenance work, parts
inventory, tools and financial costs, can be spread more evenly throughout the year.
 Better planning of spare parts use and ordering.
 Helping to ensure the manufacturer's requirements for warranty compliance are met.
 Reducing overall maintenance costs.